Fruit Coatings (Wax) A Technical Information Bulletin of the Northwest Horticultural Council    All fruits, including apples, naturally produce their own waxy coating.  After harvest when fruit is washed to clean off dirt and any other foreign objects, such washing also removes some of the fruit’s existing wax on its surface.  As a result, food grade coatings may be applied to replace the natural wax that is lost, with each piece of fruit receiving only a few drops of these coatings.   Naturally occurring wax and supplemental fruit coatings help inhibit mold growth; help prevent moisture loss and shriveling; enhance appearance; and assist in maintaining firmness during handling and storage.   Fruit coatings used by the Pacific Northwest tree fruit industry are derived overwhelmingly from two natural sources, carnauba and shellac.  Carnauba wax is from the harvested leaves of the carnauba palm.  Shellac wax is a resin secreted by the lac beetle, an insect found in Asia, to protect its eggs.  Lac production by this insect is similar to honey production by bees.  No synthetic-based waxes are used.   Both carnauba and shellac are approved for food additive use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and have been used on produce and other edible products for decades.  For example, these same ingredients are also approved for use as food additives in candies, pastries, and pharmaceuticals. As required by FDA for fresh fruit sold in the United States, fruit packers report on an ingredient statement on the side panel of the bulk shipping container if a specific food grade coating was used. (Different labeling requirements may apply to commercial fruit sold in export markets.)   Under certain conditions of high humidity or moisture, apples coated with shellac wax can take on a milky appearance.  The whitening of a shellac coating is actually a cracking of the coating, which occurs when free moisture, or condensation, is present on the surface of the fruit.  When this happens only a physical change of the shellac occurs: the safe edibility and taste of the product are not affected.   Pacific Northwest fruit producers recognize that consumers have diverse dietary needs.   Therefore it should be noted:  (1) no waxes are used that are derived from dairy or other mammals and (2) not all fruit has a food grade coating added prior to distribution to retail markets.   The Northwest Horticultural Council represents the deciduous tree fruit industry of Idaho, Oregon and Washington on national and international policy issues affecting growers and shippers.  For further information, please contact Dr. Mike Willett, Vice President for Scientific Affairs, at (509) 453-3193 or email at willett@nwhort.org. 11/2/10 Northwest Horticultural Council 105 South 18th Street, Suite 105 Yakima, Washington 98901, USA Voice: (509) 453-3193, Fax: (509) 457-7615 E-mail general@nwhort.org